IMAGE  EVALUATION 
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Sciences 

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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHM/ICMH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibiiographiques 


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0 


Coloured  covers/ 
Couverture  de  couleur 


r~~|   Covers  damaged/ 


D 


Couverture  endommagAe 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur6e  et/ou  pellicuiie 


I      I   Cover  title  missing/ 


D 


D 
D 


D 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


I      I   Coloured  maps/ 


Cartes  g6ographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  fls.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


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D 


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Bound  with  other  material/ 
Reli6  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
along  interior  margin/ 

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Th 
to 


I — I   Coloured  pages/ 


D 


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Pages  damaged/ 
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Th 
po 
of 
fill 


Or 
ba 
thi 
8i( 
ot 
fir 
si( 
or 


Th 
sh 
Til 
wl 

Ml 
dil 
en 
be 
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obtenir  la  meilleure  image  possible. 


This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  filmA  au  taux  de  reduction  indiqu*  ci-dessous. 

10X  14X  18X  22X 


y 


26X 


XX 


12X 


16X 


20X 


24X 


28X 


32X 


ails 

du 

idifior 

une 

lage 


The  copy  filmed  hare  has  been  reproduced  thanks 
to  the  generosity  of: 

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Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 

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gAn6rosit6  de: 

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Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 

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plus  grand  soin,  compte  tenu  de  la  condition  et 
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conformity  avec  les  conditions  du  contrat  de 
filmage. 


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sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  recorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  ^^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED "),  or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Los  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  an 
papier  est  imprimis  sont  film6s  en  commengant 
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derniire  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
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originaux  sont  filmAs  en  commenpant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  et  en  terminant  par 
la  dernidre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
darnidre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbole  -^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbole  V  signifie  "FIN". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc.,  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc.,  peuvent  dtre 
filmds  d  des  taux  de  reduction  diffdrents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  dtre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  cliche,  il  est  filmi  A  partir 
de  Tangle  sup6rieur  gauche,  de  gauche  d  droite, 
et  de  haut  en  bas,  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  nicessaire.  Les  diagrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mithode. 


rata 

0 


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id 


3 


32X 


1 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

1   11 ,  .laiKw^qmi 


970-3 


THE   GEOGRAPHY 

OF  THE  TSIMSHIAN  INDIANS. 


Reprinted  from  The  A  merican  A  ntiguarlaM,  September  and  October  181)7 


Archlvts 

of 

fflrlMsJi  Columbia! 

COLLECTION 


THE  GEOGRAPHY  OF  THE  TSIMSHIAN  INDIANS. 

Bv  G.  A.  D(M<SEV. 

{Hiin-niltitiil  J'i-i)iii   Till'  .\  nil  liran  Antiiininiitit,  i  htiilier,  /\'<<.) 

The  Tsimshian  Indians  form  one  of  the  most  important 
stocks  of  the  Northwest.  They  live  in  villages  on  the  Nass 
and  Skeena  rivers  and  adjacent  islands,  and  have  as  neighbors 
on  the  north  the  Tlingits,  on  the  east  the  Denncs,  and  on  the 
south  the  Bella  Coolas  and  Kwakiutls.  Their  origin  and  early 
movements  are  still  a  niatter  of  speculation.  Their  language 
separates  them  from  the  neighboring  stocks,  but  in  religion, 
folk-lore  and  culture  they  have  much  in  common  with  the 
Tlingits,  Haidas  of  the  Queen  Charlotte  Islands,  and  the 
Kwakiutls.  Their  physical  relationship  with  these  stocks  has 
not  been  determined,  although  some  anthropometric  data  has 
been  collected  by  Dr.  Franz  Boaz  and  by  myself. 

Owing  to  three  chief  reasons  the  life  of  the  Tsimshians,  as 
well  as  that  of  other  Northwest  Indians,  has  within  the  last 
fifty  years  undergone  marked  change.  These  reasons  are: 
(i)  The  founding  and  rise  of  the  city  of  Victoria,  on  Van- 
couver Island;  (2)  the  establishment  of  Hudson's  l^ay  Com- 
pany's Posts  and  missionary  stations,  and  (3)  the  establish- 
ment of  numerous  salmon  canneries  on  the  inlets  and  rivers. 

The  changes  brought  about  by  these  causes  may  also  be 
considered  under  three  heads.  First  may  be  mentioned  the 
change  of  physical  status  due  to  mixture  with  the  whites  and 
with  other  Indians;  secondly,  the  change  in  culture  due  to 
white  contact  and  especially  due  to  the  influence  of  mission- 
aries, and,  finally,  the  change  in  habitation  due  to  the  estab- 
lishment of  Hudson's  Bay  Company's  posts,  missionary  sta- 
tions and  canneries.  It  is  only  with  the  last  change,  that  of 
habitation,  that  we  are  here  concerned. 

While  on  the  coast  of  British  Columbia  this  summer,  in  the 
interests  of  the  F'ield  Columbian  Museum,  I  gathered  such 
information  as  I  could  relative  to  this  point,  and,  while  fully 
realizing  the  imperfection  of  the  data  collected,  it  seems  to 
me  to  be  of  sufificient  importance  to  be  recorded.  My  infor- 
mation was  obtained  from  various  missionaries  and  traders,  and 
from  the  reports  of  the  department  of  Indian  affairs.  I  am  es- 
pecially indebted,  and  take  this  opportunity  of  expressing  my 
obligation,  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Tomlinson  of  Meamskinisht,  a 
missionary  who  began  his  career  of  usefulness  with  Duncan  at 
Metlakahtla  and  who  is  acquainted  with  the  I  simshian  dialects, 
and  hrfs  resided  in  many  of  the  T'  .nshian  villages  on  both  the 
.Nass  and  Skeena  rivers. 


ibia 


23106.1 


THE  UEOGRAPHY  OF  THE  TSIMSHIAN  INDIANS. 


T 


Boaz*  has  divided  the  Tsimshian  stock  into  dialects,  those 
speaking  the  Nasqa  and  those  speaking  the  Tsimshian  proper, 
Of  those  speaking  Nasqa  he  enumerates  two  tribes;  of  the 
Tsimshians  proper  he  enumerates  six  tribes.  He  does  not 
specify,  however,  whether  'his  enumeration  refers  to  former 
times  or  today;  at  any  rate  I  am  unable  to  reconcile  his  list  of 
tribes  to  present  conditions.  It  is  to  be  noted  furthermore  that 
the  tribes  speaking  Nasqa  are  not  confined  to  the  territory  of 
the  Nass  river,  but  are  also  found  on  the  Skeena  river.  As  to 
the  distinguishing  characteristics  of  the  two  dialects  I  had  no 
time  for  investigation.  But  from  various  sources  I  learned  that 
those  tribes  which  spoke  the  Tsimshian  dialect  proper  could 
not  understand  the  Nasqa  dialect,  whereas  the  Nasqa  tribes 
could  understand  those  who  spoke  Tsimshian  proper.  It  ap- 
pears yet  further  that  there  are  two  closely  related  groups  of 
the  Nasqa  dialect,  the  Nasqa  and  the  Kitksa'n,  the  former 
group  being  confined  to  the  Nass  river,  the  latter  to  the  Skeena 
river. 

Instead  of  taking  up  the  tribes  or  villages  according  to  a 
linguistic  basis  I  have  preferred  rather  to  follow  the  natural  di- 
visions and  to  take  up  first  the  Skeena  river  villages,  and  then  the 
Nass  river  villages  and  finally  the  coast  and  island  villages.  It 
will  be  seen  from  a  reference  to  the  map  that  the  villages  are 
numbered  fro.n  i  to  i8  and  from  A  to  H.  The  numbers  refer 
to  ancient  or  modern  villages,  which  were  founded  without  ref- 
erence to  white  influence.  The  letters  refer  to  villages  founded 
within  recent  years  through  recent  white  influence.  The  capi- 
tal letters  N,  K  and  T  on  the  map  are  for  the  purpose  of  dis- 
tinguishing the  Nasqa  and  Kiksan  tribes  from  those  speaking 
Tsimshian  proper.  These  numbers  and  letters  are  retained  in 
the  text.  In  the  spelling  of  the  proper  names  I  have  followed 
as  a  rule  that  given  by  the  missionaries  of  the  various  towns  or 
by  the  traders;  in  some  cases  I  have  inserted  in  brackets  the 
.spelling  given  by  Boaz  (B)  or  that  given  in  the  report  of  the 
Indian  Commission  (R). 

One  of  the  origin  myths  of  the  Tsimshians  reports  that  after 
the  flood  their  ancestors  drifted  about  for  a  long  time  in  a  canoe 
and  finally  landed  at  Dum-lak  am  (what  will  be  a  good  place). 
Here  they  rested  and  this  was  their  earthly  primeval  home. 
From  here  they  began  to  extend  outward  in  various  directions 
and  so  was  built  up  the  Tsimshian  people.  Dum  lak-am,  so  far 
as  can  be  determined,  was  the  region  about  the  modern  town 
of  Hazelton,  one  hundred  and  sixty  miles  up  the  Skeena  river, 
and  at  this  point  we  may  properly  begin  our  review  of  the 
Tsimshian  villages. 

*  Frauz  Boaz:  Fiftli  Report  on  tbe  Northwestern  Tribes  of  the 
Dominion  of  Canada,  B.  A.  A.  S.    189,    Page  8. 


1 

i 
I 

I 


T 


! 


THE  CJEOORAPHV  OF  THE  TSIMSHIAN  INDIANS.  .{ 

SKEENA    RIVER    VlLLA(iES. 

1.  N.  K.  Kit-an-maiksh  [Git-an-max  R]  place  for  putting 
out  net.  Until  1879  *^'^  village  was  located  on  a  flat  just  above 
the  junction  of  the  Skeena  and  Bulkley  rivers.  Shortly  before 
that  time  the  inhabitants  Had  begun  to  build  a  little  further  up 
on  a  low  bluff  overlooking  the  Skeena  where  the  present  town 
of  Hazelton  now  stands.  The  old  village  was  destroyed  by  fire 
about  1876.  The  population  of  Hazelton,  or  "The  Forks,"  as 
the  town  is  commonly  called,  in  1881  numbered  about  200;  at 
present  it  numbers  about  250.  Many  families  have  removed 
thither  from  Kishpiyeoux  and  from  villages  down  the  river.  The 
town  recently  has  become  of  considerable  importance,  as  it  is  at 
the  head  of  steamboat  navigation  on  the  Skeena.  It  contains  a 
very  important  Hudson's  Bay  Post  and  is  the  distributing  point 
for  miners'  supplies  for  the  interior,  especially  for  the  Omenica 
country,  which  has  for  some  time  been  the  scene  of  much  min- 
ing activity. 

2.  N.  K.  Kish-pi  yeoux  [Kits-pioux,  Kits-piouse,  R.]  place 
of  ancestor  Pi-yeoux.  This  village,  at  the  junction  of  the 
Kishpiyeoux  and  Skeena  rivers,  was  in  1873  the  most  populous 
on  the  upper  Skeena.  At  that  time  it  numbered  about  400  peo- 
ple; now  it  contains  225.  Between  1881  and  1895  the  popu- 
lation decreased  about  thirty-three  per  cent.,  much  of  this  bemg 
due  to  successive  epidemics  of  measles. 

3.  N.  K.  Kish-ga-gass  [Kits-ge-gaas,  Kits-ge-goos,  R.] 
place  of  ancestor  Ga  gass — on  the  Bibine  river,  nine  miles 
from  its  mouth.  This  village  twenty  years  ago  had  over  300 
inhabitants,  but  many  have  removed  to  Hazelton  and  many 
perished  in  the  mines  of  Caribo  and  Omenica.  Kish-ga  gass 
now  numbers  about  275,  and  is  probably  the  most  primitive  of 
all  Tsirnshian  villages. 

4.  N.  K.  Kaul-daw  [Gal-doe,  R.]  dwellers  beyond.  This 
village  is  doomed  to  utter  extinction;  numbering  about  150 
people  in  1875,  there  are  at  the  present  time  only  about  thirty 
who  claim  Kaul-daw  as  their  home,  and  even  many  of  these  re- 
main there  only  one  or  two  months  of  the  year.  Many  of  the 
former  inhabitants  have  removed  to  Kish  pi  yeoux.  Within 
five  years  the  village  will  be  complet'jly  abandoned. 

5.  N.  K.  Kitze-gukla  people  of  Zegukla  mountain.  This  is 
the  first  of  the  Skeena  river  villages  as  we  go  toward  the 
coast  from  Hazelton.  In  1873  its  population  was  about  250, 
hut  it  is  now  about  eighty.  In  1875  many  of  the  houses  were 
burned  from  a  conflagration  which  started  on  the  opposite  side  of 
the  river,  caused  by  the  carelessness  of  two  miners.  Much 
trouble  and  ill  feeling  grew  out  of  this,  and  the  Indians  at- 
tempted to  close  the  river  to  navigation.  The  difficulty  was  not 
.settled  until  a  man-of-war  appeared  at  the  mouth  of  the  Skeena. 


i 


4  THE  (JEOORAPHV  OF  THK  TSIMSHIAN  INDIAXS. 

6.  N.  K.  Kit-win-gach  [Kit-vvang-agh,  R.] — people  of  place 
of  plenty  rabbits.  This  village  numbered  about  250  in  1876, 
200  in  iSSi.andat  present  about  150.  Many  deserted  their 
homes  during  the  gold  craze  on  the  Stickene  river,  and  suf- 
fered as  the  Indians  usually  do  in  contact  with  the  whites 
under  such  circumstances.  Many  men  died,  and  the  women 
and  girls  were  abandoned.  Some  of  these  women  even  took 
their  daughters  with  them  for  the  purpose  of  selling  them  to 
the  whites. 

7.  N.  K.  Kit-win-skole  [Kit-wan-cool,  R] — people  where 
pass  the  narrows.  This  formerly  extensive  village,  which  num- 
bered over  350  in  1875,  '^as  been  nearly  abandoned  and  now 
contains  less  than  eighty  people.  Most  of  them  have  gone  up 
to  live  at  Ilazelton,  but  many  others  left  for  the  mines,  while 
others  still  found  ruin  and  death  in  Victoria. 

8.  T.  Kit  zilas  [Gyitsal.'i  ser,  B.;  Kit-sa-las,  R.] — people  of  the 
canon.  Of  this  village,  which  numbered  over  300  in  1S75,  but 
a  single  family  remains.  The  head  of  this  family  is  one  of  the 
crew  of  the  S.  S.  "Caledonia,"  which  runs  on  the  Skeena.  He 
lives  in  a  neat  modern  cottage.  All  the  other  houses  are  in 
ruins  and  overgrown  with  vegetation. 

9.  T.  Kit  zim-gay-lum  [Kit-sum-kalem,  R.;  Gyitsuninilon. 
B.] — people  of  Zim  gay-lum  river.  Another  almost  deserted 
village;  its  population  of  150  in  1885  has  been  .scattered  until  at 
present  not  more  than  sixty  remain.  Manv  have  gone  to  New 
Metlakahtla,  others  have  settled  in  Port  Kssington,  while  still 
others  have  joined  the  Kitksians. 

NASs  ki\i:k  villaciks. 


10.  N.  Kit  ai.x — ?  In  1870  Kit-aix,  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Nass  river,  was  a  populous  village  numbering  over  350.  At 
present  it  numbers  about  seventy-five.  Many  have  joined  the 
mi.ssion  villages  of  Kincolith  and  a  few  have  taken  up  their 
residence  in  Lak-kul-zap. 

11.  N.  Lak-ungida  (Haida  name?)— This  was  one  of  the 
most  populous  villages  in  1870  and  numbered  over  400 ;  now 
there  are  not  more  than  fifty  remaining.  Many  died  in  Vic- 
toria, others  have  gone  to  the  mission  village  Kincolith  and  a 
few  went  to  Lak-kul-sap. 

12.  N.  Kit-Iak-aous — people  on  the  .sandy  point.  The  re- 
maining inhabitants  of  this  village,  which  numbered  150  in 
1890,  deserted  the  place  entirely  in  1895.  Where  they  went  I 
was  not  able  to  learn. 

13.  N.  Kis-themu-welgit — ?  This  was  never  a  large  village 
and  numbered  but  eighty  in  1875,  and  now  numbers  alout  fifty. 
The  chiefs  removed  to  Victoria  and  a  kw  have  settled  in  the 
Nass  river  mission  villages. 


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THE  GEOCJRAPHY  OF  THE  TSIMSHIAN  INDIANS.  5 

I 

14.  N.  Kit-win-shilk  [Kit-win-tshilth,  R.] — people  of  the 
place  of  the  lizards.  This  village  now  numbers  less  than  one- 
half  of  its  1870  population, which  was  200.  The  deaths  have 
exceeded  the  births  and  many  of  the  women,  who  were  noted 
f6r  their  fair  complexion,  fine  form  and  beauty,  were  lost  in  Vic- 
toria. 

15.  N.  Kit-lak-damix  [Kit-lach-damax,  R.] — people  on  pool 
or  pond.  This  village  numbered  350  in  1872,  has  at  present 
only  about  150  inhabitants.  It  is  hard  to  account  for  this  de- 
crease for  there  has  been  no  special  epidemic,  nor  have  there 
been  any  decided  migrations  to  other  villages.  On  the  other 
hand  this  village  is  known  to  have  received  acquisitions  from 
Kit-win-skole. 

'■     3.      COAST   OR    ISLAND    VILLAGES. 

16.  T.  Kit-kahta  [Kit-kaa-ta,  R.  Gyitga-ata,  B.] — people  of 
the  poles.     This  was    formerly  a  large    village,  numbering  be- 

•  tween  300  and  400  in  1870.  Many  have  gone  to  Alaska,  some 
to  join  Duncan's  colony  at  New  Metlakahtla.  and  the  popula- 
tion has  decreased  considerably.     It  now  numbers  about  eighty. 

17.  T.  Kit-khatla  [Kit-katla,  R  ;  Gyit-qatla,  B]— people  of 
the  sea.  This  village  ncv  numbers  about  200,  and  is  the  most 
primitive  and  least  often  vi^jited  of  the  coast  villages, 

18.  T.  Kit-tizoo  [Gyid-esdzo,  B.] — ?  This  village,  at  the  north- 
west of  Milbank  Sound,  is  the  most  southerly  of  all  Tsimshian 
villages.  It  is  now  almost  deserted,  part  of  its  population  hav- 
ing gone  to  Alaska ;  others  have  settled  at  Bella  Bella. 


i 


MODKRN    VILLAdES    AND    MISSIONARY    STATIONS. 

A.  Meamskinisht — foot  of  porcupine  grove.  Founded  in 
1889  by  Mr.  Tomlinson  as  a  mission  village.  At  the  outset  it 
numbered  but  five  people,  now  its  population  is  about  fifty — 
drawn  from  the  Kitk'sans. 

B.  New  Kitzilas.  This  is  not  a  mission  village,  but  was 
settled  by  the  people  of  Kitzilas  in  IVS93.  Its  population  at 
present  is  about  forty. 

C.  Port  Essington.  This  town  is  second  in  importance 
only  to  Port  Simpson.  Although  it  was  the  seat  of  a  Hudson's 
Bay  Post  in  1835.  it  had  its  real  beginning  in  1872,  when  the 
gold  excitement  began  in  the  Omenica  country  and  the  whites 
began  to  go  into  the  interior  by  the  Skeena  river.  In  1874  a 
Church  of  England  mission  was  started,  and  then  the  Indians  be- 
gan to  settle  there  from  varioiis  places  on  the  Skeena  but  chiefly 
from  the  villages  of  Kitzilas  and  Kitze  gukla.  It  now  num- 
bers about  JOG  inhabitants,  has  two  churches,  two  salvation 
armies,  a  cannery  and  a  saw  mill.  It  is  also  the  starting  point 
for  the  Skeena  river  steamer,  and  is  destined  some  day  to  be  a 
place  of  considerable  importance 


6 


THE  GEOGRAPHY  OP  THE  TSIMSHIAN  INDIANS. 


D.  Matlakhatla.  The  story  of  this  mission  village  is  the 
romance  of  the  Northwest  coast,  and  it  has  been  told  over  and 
over  again.  Its  history  is  a  chapter  in  the  life  of  a  man  who 
ranks  among  the  first  of  America's  missionaries  and  teachers. 
Duncan  went  out  to  Port  Simpson  in  1857  and  removed  to 
Matlakahtla  m  1862.  With  him  went  a  few  of  the  Simpson 
Tsimshians.  Within  six  months  the  whole  body  moved  over 
with  their  chief,  Kit-laan.  Of  the  rise  and  fall  of  this  new 
world  Utopia  we  are  not  here  concerned.  Duncan  left  and 
founded  a  new  and  brighter  Utopia  on  one  of  the  islands  of 
southern  Alaska,  and  Metlakahtla  today  is  a  ruinious  monu- 
ment to  the  folly  of  a  Bishop  of  England.  Its  population  in 
1 896  was  1 50. 

E.  Port  Simpson.  The  early  history  of  Port  Simpson  or 
Simpson  as  it  is  called  on  the  coast,  is  the  history  of  a  Hud- 
son's Bay  Company's  Port.  This  post  was  first  established  in 
1831  on  the  Nass  river  at  a  point  about  two  miles  above  the 
present  mission  village  of  Kincolith.  It  only  remained  there 
two  years  but  during  that  time  seven  of  the  traders  died  or 
met  their  death  at  the  hands  of  the  Indians.  Tiien  the  Post 
was  removed  to  Port  Simpson.  At  that  time  thers  were  no 
Indians  nearer  than  the  peninsula  of  Metlakahtla.  In  that  pas- 
.sage  at  that  time  there  were  nine  villages  of  Tsimshians  who 
still  retained  their  summer  homes  on  the  Skeena  river.  Of 
these  nine  villages  I  learned  the  names  of  six.  The  first  was 
Kishpokalants;  its  chief  was  Legaik  and  he  was  the  head  chief 
of  the  entire  Tsimshian  nation.  The  other  five  villages  were: 
Kit-lam,  Kinagingeeg,  Kil-utsai,  Kitadah,  Kitzeesh.  The 
combined  population  of  the  nine  villages  was  about  5,000. 
They  have  long  since  disappeared;  many  removed  to  Simpson, 
but  the  majority  were  scattered  among  other  villages,  slain  in 
iuter-racial  wars,  lost  in  the  gold  fields  of  the  interior,  or  per- 
ished in  Victoria.  Simpson  at  present  is  the  metropolis  of  the 
coast,  dull  and  stupid  in  summer  but  awake  and  lively  enough 
in  winter.  It  boasts  of  a  hotel,  fire  department,  hospital  and 
two  rival  churches  and  salvation  armies.  Its  population  is  over 
700.  A  half  dozen  totem  poles  mark  the  sites  of  the  old 
houses  of  the  early  days. 

F.  Kin-eolith — place  of  scalp.  This  mission  village  was 
founded  in  1867  by  Mr.  Tomlinson.  Its  inhabitants  were  drawn 
from  the  Nass  river  villages,  chiefly  from  Gwin-wah.  It  now 
numbers  about  200. 

G.  Lak-kul-zap  [Kach-als-ap,  R]  Founded  in  1872  by 
Mr,  Green,  from  Tsimshians  drawn  from  the  villages  of  Kit- 
aix  and  Kitkahta;  now  numbers  about  eighty. 

H.  Aiyaush — -eternal  bloom.  Founded  in  1871  by  Mr. 
Tomlinson.  Its  inhabitants  were  drawn  chiefly  from  Kit-lak- 
damix.     It  now  numbers  100. 


»* 


THE  GEOGRAPHY  OF  THE  TSIMSHIAN  INDIANS. 


Ot  the  ancient  villages  the  following  have  Church  of  Eng- 
land missions:  Kit-an-maiksh,  Kish-ge-gass,  Kit-wan-gach, 
and  Kit-khatla.  The  following  have  -Methodist  missions: 
Kish-pi-yeoux,  and  Kitze-gukla.  Of  the  Hiission  villages  the 
following  are  Methodists:  New  Kitzelas  and  Lak-kul-zap,  Met- 
lakhatla,  Kin-col-ith,  and  Aiyaush  are  Episcopalian;  while  Port 
Essington  and  Port  Simpson  have  both  Episcopal  and  Method- 
ist missions.  The  mission  of  Meamskinisht,  in  charge  of  Mr. 
Tomlinson,  is  on  an  independent  basis. 

Although  the  Tsimshians  today  are  but  a  remnant  of  the 
stock  as  it  existed  in  1850,  they  now  seem  to  be  holding  their 
own  in  point  of  population,  while  some  oj  the  other  coast  stocks 
are  diminishing  very  rapidly,  the  Haidas  especially.  Their  es- 
timated population  in  1888  was  5.000,  but  this  estimate  is  prob- 
ably in  excess  by  one  or  two  thousand,  as  the  report 
of  the  Canadian  Indian  commissioner  for  1895  gives  for 
twenty  villages  not  quite  3;200  population.  Today  they  are 
nearly  all  Christianized,  live  in  frame  cottages,  wear  European 
clothing  and  during  the  summer  months  wofk  in  the  salmon 
canneries.  But  while  the  Tsimshians  may  outlive  the  Haidas 
as  a  separate  stock,  their  ultimate  absorption  and  final  extinc- 
tion are  but  matters  of  time.  The  new  villages  and  especially 
the  canneries  are  bringing  the  different  stocks  of  the  coast  into 
more  and  more  intimate  relations  and  this  results  in  a  disap. 
pearance  of  the  pure  types.  The  introduction  of  another  ethnic 
element,  the  Chinese,  on  the  coast  may  further  complicate  mat- 
ters for  while  as  yet  there  is  no  commingling  of  the  Indian  with 
the  Chinese,  it  will  probably  come  sooner  or  later  as  it  has  on 
the  west  coast  of  South  America.  The  fate  of  the  Tsimshian.as 
with  his  brother  elsewhere  on  this  continent,  is  to  disappear — to 
disappear  as  Tsimshian,  as  Indian. 


